The Crane Chronicles Volume 4
by iloveromance
Summary: Random short stories of various genres featuring members of the Crane family and their friends. Based on sentence prompts found in various places.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm back from the store, Dr. Crane!"

Instead of helping her with the bags she was carrying, Frasier simply ushered Daphne inside.

"Yes, thank you, Daphne. Now just set those around the kitchen. And hurry, please!"

She scowled at him in annoyance but said nothing. It wouldn't do any good anyway. The man was infuriating, not to mention a complete fussbudget! Her annoyance grew as she carried the heavy plastic bags into the kitchen and sat them on the counter. Her arms ached and she wanted so desperately to rest just for a moment but Frasier would have none of it.

"Bloody hell…" She muttered under her breath. And she'd barely gotten a second to herself when he returned.

"Well, come on, Daphne. Get to it! You know how serious this situation is!"

"Dr. Crane, really, it's not that bad! They're completely harmless little things! And didn't you tell me that both Lilith and your mother-."

"Yes, Daphne I'm well aware of the things that my mother and my ex-wife did, but I do not want those things in my home!"

She bit her lip to keep from laughing at his absurd comment. But she couldn't help herself. "I hope you're not talking about Lilith and Mrs. Crane!"

As she expected, Frasier didn't find her attempt at humor the least bit funny. But she had a feeling that his father would have found it hilarious, even though she was poking fun at his beloved wife. She could tell that Frasier had not gotten his sense of humor from his father. She only hoped that his mother had at least some fun during her much too short life.

"Daphne, we don't have all day, now open those packages and set them around the kitchen; one in each corner. Oh and pay special attention to the refrigerator. I don't want them anywhere near that thing!"

"Oh don't be such a baby, Dr. Crane! They're harmless!"

"Right, you mentioned that. And I'm telling you-."

"I know, I know! You don't want them in your house! Well, I can see that, I suppose. This place isn't very big and-."

"Daphne, can I ask you a question?"

She turned to him in surprise. "Yes, of course."

"Do you like working here?"

The question made her smile. "I do. I love working here, actually. Why do you ask?"

"BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T OPEN THOSE PACKAGES AND DO AS I TELL YOU, YOU'LL BE OUT ON THE STREETS! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

She flinched at his outburst and suddenly felt very small inside. "I was only trying to-."

"Well, stop _trying_ and _do_ something!"

His father appeared in the doorway. "What in the hell is going on in here?"

"Nothing, Dad. Never mind." Frasier mumbled.

"Didn't sound like nothing. What in the hell are you yelling about? You made me miss Roger's comments about the game!"

"But Dad, come on, you don't even like Green Bay!"

"I _know_ that, Wise Guy! But I still… Hey… How did you know that I was talking about Aaron Rogers? And that he plays for Green Bay?"

"I have no idea. Bulldog's show must have rubbed off on me."

This made Martin smile. "Well, it's about time. Now pipe down will ya? Maybe I can find it again on another station!"

"You do that, Dad!" Frasier said. And then he turned to Daphne. "And as for you-."

"Yes?"

"Daphne will you please put these in the proper places? I want this over and done with."

"Well, when you ask that way, I'd be happy to!"

Finally, Frasier smiled. "All right. I'll be back in a few minutes. Let me know if you need any help."

When he was gone, Daphne set to work, carefully opening each package and following the instructions to the letter. She sat one object in various corners of the kitchen spacing them apart at the suggested distance.

Now there was nothing to do but wait… and hope.

Minutes later, Frasier returned. "So…"

"Well, I did as you asked." She announced proudly.

"Good. Thank you, Daphne. I hope this does the trick. I-."

They watched in horror as the brown mouse scampered across the kitchen floor. It was followed by another, and then another.

"DEAR GOD!" Frasier shouted. "We're going to need more mousetraps!"

"Or a cat." Daphne suggested. "Oh Dr. Crane wouldn't it be wonderful to have a cat? They're so sweet and I really don't think that Eddie would be bothered by it. Why just the other day, I was over at me girlfriend Cheryl's house and she has a Doberman Pincher and the sweetest black cat you've ever seen! You should watch them play together! Oh, it was absolutely adorable! And I started thinking that maybe we should get a cat, because-."

She watched in confusion as Frasier grabbed his keys from the counter and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Dr. Crane, where are you going?"

"Out!" He shouted.

"Out where?"

Frasier paused in the foyer and turned to his father and Daphne. "To buy more mousetraps!"


	2. Chapter 2

Niles and Frasier froze when they walked into the kitchen, their eyes wide like saucers.

"Dad…" Frasier said carefully. "What's going on?"

But Martin only smiled, oblivious to the odd sight before him. "Hey Fras! Niles, what are you doing here?"

"Dad, what's wrong with Eddie?" Niles asked.

Martin looked over at the Jack Russel Terrier who was standing on the linoleum floor, spinning around and around like a top. But he merely shrugged. "Nothing, why?"

Frasier's eyebrows rose. "Well, he's-."

"Well..." Niles began a beat later.

"What, wise guy? What are you boys trying to say?"

"Nothing Dad. I've never seen Eddie do that before." Frasier said. And then he turned to his brother. "

Isn't that right, Niles?"

The Crane men exchanged nods and glances. "Um, yeah." Niles replied.

"What, are you crazy?" Martin said, his voice raising an octave. "He does this all time!"

"Dad that's preposterous!" Frasier shouted. "What dog spins around and around on four legs and then collapses on the floor?"

Martin gasped. "What?" When his eyes traveled to Eddie who was now laying on the floor panting hard, Martin smiled and nodded. "Oh Right…"

Niles and Frasier stared at him blankly. "Dad, what's going on?" Niles finally asked.

"It's simple, really. See, Eddie spins around and around until he wears himself out. And then he falls on the floor and sleeps like a log!"

Frasier burst out laughing, annoying Martin even further.

"What's so damn funny?" Martin demanded.

Frasier shook his head in disgust. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"Why? It's perfectly normal!"

Niles could no longer hold in his laughter. "Dad, how can you possibly think that Eddie's bizarre behavior is normal?"

"Because you and Fras did it all the time!"

Frasier and Niles' mouths dropped in disbelief. "Dad!"

"No, I'm serious! When you were kids, you used to spin around and around until you collapse on the floor. Your mother thought it was hilarious but it bothered the hell out of me because you usually did it while I was trying to watch the game! And then you'd both fall asleep and your mother and I would have to carry you off to bed!"

Frasier and Niles looked at each other, embarrassed. "Well…"

"Nothing to be ashamed of." Martin said. "It runs in the family!"

Without a word, Niles turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"Niles, where do you think you're going?"

Niles paused in the doorway. "To find a new family."


	3. Chapter 3

Sixteen year old David sat at the kitchen table; a pen and paper in hand, a stack of books in front of him. Daphne paid him no mind and continued milling about in the kitchen, putting away the dishes. She wished that her son would pick a quieter place to study, but apparently he preferred the chaos of the kitchen of their home rather than the quiet of his bedroom; the room that had the expensive built-in desk and bookshelves.

She wanted to complain, since she and Niles had gone to great lengths to create a comfortable space for David to work on his homework and other projects. A contractor had transformed one corner of his bedroom into a student office that even Niles was envious of. But at the moment she didn't feel like arguing. Her scolding could, in fact have the opposite effect and distract him from his work. And as long as he was working on his school projects, it really didn't matter where the studying occurred.

But she'd no sooner turned back to her task of drying the dishes, she heard David utter a swear word that he'd never said before. Her eyes opened wide and she whirled around. "David Crane, what did you just say?"

She expected her normally obedient and kind-hearted son to apologize and never utter that horrible word again. But instead he repeated it… more than once.

No longer able to contain her growing anger, Daphne threw down her dish towel and marched over to her son. "David Crane, I'm ashamed of you! I know perfectly well that your father and I have warned you countless times not to speak that way in our home. Now, if you can't obey, then perhaps you should just go upstairs and study in your room!"

Again she expected him to apologize but to her horror, he shoved his books with such force that they slid off the table and went crashing to the floor.

"DAVID CRANE!" she screamed, so angry that she was shaking with rage. "Bloody hell, what is wrong with you?"

"I hate school! I hate it!" He yelled, startling her. "I'm not going anymore!"

"Oh, is that so? Well, if you think that your father is going to accept the fact that his son is a high school dropout; you've got another thing coming! I have news for you. There is no way that you'll amount to anything if you don't finish school! Is that clear?"

His angry eyes met hers, but seconds later his gaze softened and he began to sob.

Daphne was completely taken aback and her resolve melted away. She went to him, enfolding him into her arms, stroking his hair the way she had done so many times when he was a little boy. And all the while, he cried against her.

"Shhh… It's all right sweetheart." She whispered. "Just let it out. Mum's here. It's all right."

He cried until he was spent, but even after he'd calmed some, she continued to hold him, never daring to let go until she was sure that he was ready. She kissed his damp cheek, surprised when he didn't protest or pull away. Normally boys of David's age didn't like receiving attention from their parents. But to her surprise (and delight) he snuggled closer to her.

"Sweetheart, what is it? Why are you so upset?"

"They don't like me at school, Mum. No one does."

"That's not possible, David. You're wonderful."

He drew back to look at her but she felt the loss of his body heat immediately. "No I'm not!" he said his voice raising several octaves. "Can't you see that? Maybe you and Dad and Grandpa and Grandma Ronee and Uncle Frasier like me, but people at school don't! I don't fit in there, mum, I'll never fit in!"

"David-."

"I'm sorry, Mum. I just… I can't go back there, ever."

When he wordlessly turned and ran up the stairs, Daphne retreated into the living room and sank onto the fainting couch, crying into her hands. She barely heard the door open and then close, but suddenly she felt him sitting beside her, holding her close.

"Daphne, what's wrong?"

She looked at him tearfully. "Oh Niles…. It's David!"

His mouth fell open in shock. "I-is he hurt? Sick?"

She shook her head, feeling slightly guilty for worrying him so. "No, but… Oh Niles, I need to go up there and talk to him, but he was so upset! He was just doing his homework and all of a sudden-."

Her wonderful husband kissed her and then wiped her tears away with his handkerchief. "I'll go and talk to him. Where is he?"

"I assume he's in his room, but Niles-."

"Don't worry, it'll be all right."

He kissed her softly and she tearfully watched him head upstairs. With a sigh she rose from the fainting couch and returned to the kitchen. David's books and papers were still scattered on the hardwood floor. She gathered his school work, stacking the papers and then she arranged his books and papers onto the kitchen table. The task made her feel a bit better, but not much.

As soon as she pushed open the swinging door that led to the living room she saw then; Niles and her handsome son were standing at the foot of the stairs with their arms around each other. But as soon as David's eyes met hers, he left his father and went to her, engulfing her into a hug. His face was buried against her neck and he held her close.

"I'm sorry, mum. I'm so sorry for the things that I said and the things that I did. I love you so much."

Once again, Daphne began to cry and she kissed his cheek. "All right. I love you too, David. And nothing will ever change that."

"I have to agree with that statement." Niles said. He joined them in the kitchen, putting his arms around him, so that the three of them were hugging tightly.

They held each other close, and Daphne knew that no matter what, she'd love David and Niles forever.


	4. Chapter 4

Niles starred out the window of Frasier's condo, where soft snow was blanketing the city. '

"It's so beautiful, isn't it, Dr. Crane?"

At the sound of Daphne's sweet voice, he turned and smiled. "It really is." He replied. "It's hard to believe that winter will soon be over. It seems like winter just started; that yesterday was December and tomorrow it will be March 1st. Time sure does fly."

Daphne grinned and bit her lip. "Actually March won't start for two days."

His eyebrows rose. "Two-but it's February 28th!"

"Yes, but it's a leap year." She corrected him. "So that means that tomorrow is the 29th. Leap Day."

He couldn't help smiling at her dreamy expression. "Well, so it is."

"Yes, and something very special happens in Ireland on that day. Do you know about that tradition, Dr. Crane?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't, Daphne. But I'd love to hear all about it."

"Well, Leap Day is when the yeoman asks the men for their hand in marriage. Isn't that the most romantic thing you've ever heard?"

Before he could answer, she went on, just as dreamily as before.

"I can't even imagine asking a man to marry me, but wouldn't it be wonderful? No waiting around for the man I loved to ask me, if in fact he wanted to."

 _Yes, I want to, you have no idea how much I want to_ … he answered silently.

She continued on and on, but he found that he wasn't listening. He was dreaming… and what a wonderful dream it was. His heart was thundering in his chest and it was easy to imagine his angel asking for his hand in marriage. He would kiss her passionately and whisper in her ear; _yes, of course, I'll marry you_.

"… Don't you think so, Dr. Crane?"

Suddenly her hand slipped into his and he blinked, returning to reality.

"Oh… I'm sorry, were you saying something?"

"It's all right. You were thinking about your ex-wife, weren't you, Dr. Crane?"

He was completely taken aback by her question and had no idea how to answer. He hadn't thought about Maris in as long as he could remember. But he couldn't ignore the way Daphne was watching him in concern. "M-my…"

Her arms went around him and she held him close, rubbing his back with her soft hand. "I know… I'm so sorry if I upset you with my ridiculous talk of getting married."

"It's all right Daphne. I'm not upset. Please, continue with what you were saying. You were talking about Leap Day and about being able to ask someone to marry you?" The words and the idea that someone else could steal her away so easily hurt, but he had to be honest with her. What kind of friend would he be if he wasn't?

"Yes, but I'm sorry for being so selfish."

"S-selfish?"

"Thinking only of myself when you're the one who's been hurting. I hope that someday, the woman of your dreams proposes to you on Leap Day."

Overcome with emotion, he hugged her tightly, breathing in her scent. And then he closed his eyes, content to hold her (and dream) while he gave her his most honest reply.

"I hope so too, Daphne."

THE END


End file.
